Online MBA Programs

Day in the Life of an Online MBA Student

Keep in mind that the following scenarios are personal stories and that these are the daily schedules that work best for these people. One of the main benefits of an online MBA is that you can create your own schedule based on whatever works best for you. Below are two portraits, one of a stay-at-home Mom and one of a working professional. Both have families and are planning to use their MBAs to advance in the business world. The stay-at-home Mom, however, will not return to work for a few more years, until her two children are both in middle school.

Debbie Jackson, from Los Angeles, California is 37 with two boys who are 8 and 6. She is currently a stay-at-home Mom and plans to return to work in approximately 5 years as a Marketing Associate.

6:00am: Wake-up, get boys ready for elementary and pre-school respectively, make their lunches, have breakfast with boys and husband

7:00am: Take 8-year-old to school, return home and spend time with 5-year-old

9:00am: Take 5-year-old to pre-school

9:30am: Sign online, check e-mail, and start class

12:30pm: Take break for lunch and gym

2:00pm: Pick both boys up from school

2:45pm: Nap time for boys (hopefully), sign back online for about an hour to study/catch-up on coursework

5:25pm: Husband returns home from work

6:00pm: Family dinner

8:00pm-9:00pm: Kids go to bed

9:00pm: Sign online for live discussion with group members from class (occasionally-not daily) and complete any work/studying that is not done

10:00pm: Relax with husband and watch TV or go to bed

Damien Wheat, from Lansing, Michigan, is 46 with four children. He typically has a 10-hour work day as the second VP of a local bank in Lansing. He's not sure what he wants to do with his MBA specifically, but he knows it will open doors for him.

5:45am: Wake-up and start getting ready for work

6:30am: Wake kids up and get them moving

6:45am: Leave for work

7:00am: Arrive at work for a full day

12:30pm: Grab a quick lunch and check school e-mail to get an idea of what needs to be done in the evening

5:00pm: Leave work

5:30pm: Dinner with family and spend time with the kids

7:30pm: Sign online for class

9:00-10:00pm: Complete coursework and finish with class for the night

These schedules are subject to change if the children have a game or recital that can't be missed, or something of equal importance arises. However, these are the typical days for Debbie and Damien respectively. Debbie is scheduled to complete her degree before Damien is because she is able to spend more time each day on her coursework. Although it may take Damien longer, he's ok with it because it allows him to not only work full-time, but also spend time with his family. The work itself is not any easier, but the increased flexibility makes earning a degree possible for these two adults who otherwise could not have earned their degrees because they could not have returned to school, even part-time, if it meant physically being in class at the same time every day.

**adapted from "A Day in the Life of a Part-Time MBA Student," www.businessweek.com